Sprint Nextel said it expects to have WiMax available in "30ish" U.S. markets covering a population of 100 million people about the same time Intel releases its next-generation mobile chipset that will embed the wireless technology in notebooks.

Executives from WiMax partners Sprint, Clearwire, and Intel met with reporters and analysts at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco to provide an update on their efforts to drive WiMax adoption in the United States. Sprint and Clearwire, which counts Intel as an investor, are building a nationwide WiMax network.

Atish Gude, senior VP for Sprint's WiMax business operations, said the company expected to be in "30ish" U.S. markets by the time Intel releases Montevina next year, covering an area of 100 million people. Montevina is the codename for a chipset that will provide Wi-Fi and WiMax support in notebooks.

Sprint expects 80% of its WiMax transmitters to overlay its cellular transmission stations, Gude said. The remaining 20% would be new sites.